


Evolving

by crescent_gaia



Series: Person of Interest: Alpha/Omega AU [9]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, M/M, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 03:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20090593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescent_gaia/pseuds/crescent_gaia
Summary: The situation is evolving, not just between Harold and John, but towards the end solution.





	Evolving

**Author's Note:**

> I'm doing a rewatch of the series and, from that, comes fic. Enjoy. :)

Shaw brought the drinks over to the table, passing a bottle to Reese before sitting down across from him. They had just finished a number but the banter between Reese and Finch wasn’t the easy way that she came to hear in the past. So she and Root split them up - her with a drink and putting the phones away. Root would do what she could to figure out what was up Finch’s butt. She thought that it was because Reese wasn’t instead of anything up there. 

Root found it hilarious, agreed, and they decided to do what they could. Having those two at odds with each other was not going to help anyone. Especially with Samaritan wanting them dead.

“New tradition?” Reese asked.

“Wanted a beer and to not drink alone,” Shaw replied. “And to say that I’m here to listen, if you want.”

He looked at her. “That’s new.”

“Yeah, well, you and Harold have the magic touch on making us change,” she said. “Before, I wouldn’t have cared. I would have told you to get your shit together, make up or shut up, and move on. Too bad it is more than that now. With both of us.”

He nodded. “Before - when you and Root locked us in the subway - he had a shallow heat. I couldn’t bond with him, comfort him… I failed him.”

She grimaced. “I’ve seen those before. Usually ends with the omega black and blue. You didn’t do that. You did everything you could to help. You shouldn’t blame yourself. Or him.”

“I didn’t care it was shallow. I cared he allowed me to share it with him,” he said. “I care when he shares anything personal. Even after all we’ve been through, I don’t know much about Harold. I know I want to be with him, no matter what, ever since Root kidnapped him the first time.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I remember Carter and Zoey. You’re telling me Finch was okay with that?”

He nodded. “Both betas. He’s used to a relationship with them mixed in. He had one with Nathan. Zoey was all for it. Carter too. Finch doesn’t realize how attractive he is.”

“Oh.” She took a swig of beer. “Takes a special kind of omega to be willing to allow that. I can’t see Root being okay with that. Ever.”

“Nor you okay with her being with others. Two of you are made for each other,” he said.

“So are you and Finch,” she said. “If the both of you would stop being stubborn and spare the rest of us. You don’t flirt, not outright, but it’s there. We could put you both in a locked room. It works extremely well.” She looked away. “Before her, I didn’t care who or what I spent my time with. Never wired that way. You remember Gen?“

He nodded. “Kid with the tapes.”

“She said my volume was turned down. She wasn’t wrong. Bear was the first one to turn it up. You and Finch helped too but Root…. Root made sure it went up and stayed up. Don’t think any of this is getting through to you though.”

“It’s nice words that won’t mean anything while he’s on the pills.” He looked thoughtful. “But considering his scent, I don’t think they’re working. Why did you and Root want to separate us?”

“I am truly worried. Root has her own motives,” she replied and checked her phone before sliding it over to him so he could read the text. “Might want to take care of that.”

John took one look at the text before getting up and leaving the bar quickly, heading for the new library.

****

“There was a time that I had to beg for you to let me help you,” Root said. “Glad things have changed.”

“I would say change was forced,” Finch replied and sat back. They were up to ten successes but he would only acknowledge half of them. Those were the half where they all survived. “This isn’t working.”

“Harold - “ 

“No, it’s not! How can you say it’s okay for you to die, for John…”

“Because you, Shaw, and Fusco survive. So does Bear. That’s what matters,” she said calmly. “She feels that you three are needed in the world.” She was not about to tell Harold she knew about the deal that John made with Her. That was John’s secret to tell. “I feel better knowing Shaw’s alive and will remember me. You gave us more time together than we ever could have, Harold. I’m grateful or that.”

“I know but… You told me, recently, that we all matter. So did She,” he said. “Why is this different?”

“It’s survival. You know that. We change, evolve, become things we never thought we could be. It is nice to know that you care about me.”

“Despite how we began, I always did care and worry about you,” he said. “Even when it was worrying about what the Machine was making you or you were making the Machine… the evolution into what we have now. I wonder what would have happened if I had thrown away my fears and let you help when John’s number came up. If Joss would be alive. If John wouldn’t hate me for her death.”

She blinked. “He doesn’t hate you, Harold.”

“I doubt that,” he said, slowly getting up and fighting to keep the pain off his face as he slowly hobbled over to the desk.

Root watched, getting up and leaving the cage, softly closing the door and texting Sameen what Harold said. “You’re not God, Harold.”

“No, I’m just the one who created Her. I think that’s worse,” he said quietly. “Bear,” he said as he started to slowly go to the exit with the dog following him. 

She sighed and shook her head. She knew there was nothing she could say so it was best to let Harold go and try again tomorrow. She dialed Sameen’s number. “Is John on his way?”

“He is.”

“Good.” She was about to say something else when the pay phone rang. “Hold on sweetie.” It was a few steps over and listened. “Let me call you back,” she said and hung up with Sameen. “Sorry, say again?”

“Can you hear me?” the Machine asked, in Harold’s voice.

There was a pause. “Absolutely,” Root said.

****

Harold was halfway home when he finally felt calmer. Just being out of the new library helped, Sometimes, it was too much. He considered going back to talk with Root about possibly telling John and Shaw about the plan but didn’t. Bear gave a soft growl. Someone was following them and he continued going forward. There was a set of stairs going down and he could get on a train. There wasn’t any other exit he could take, not now, and he only paused for one thing.

His cell phone rang and he answered that instead.

“Don’t answer it,” Root said. “It’s not me. Walk down into the subway. When you’re about to get to the stairs, let go of Bear. Reese and Shaw will get him. Don’t stop moving.”

He went towards the subway, letting go of Bear’s lead, and getting down the stairs as fast as he could. He could hear gunshots. “But - “

“Don’t,” Root said. “Go through and up the other side. John will be there. You get on a train and they’ll find a way to put an operative on there.”

He did what he was told but he was slowing down. He was halfway and had to sit down on a bench. “I - “

“I know,” Root said. “Stay there; they’re coming, Harold. It’s alright.”

“You said me,” Harold said. He was about to ask more when the line disconnected and there were two shots from his left. Turning, he could see it was John and Shaw, with Shaw saying she was NYPD to get the scene contained. “She said me.”

John looked worriedly at Harold, feeling his forehead. There was no fever. “Can you walk, Finch?”

“No.” There was too much pain and his energy was gone. “I just need a few minutes.”

“Go,” Shaw said, coming over to them. “Lionel’s on his way and I can cover for you.”

Harold moved, to see the two men that Shaw was talking about, and they weren’t breathing or in pain. He didn’t get a chance to ask what happened, as John picked him up and carried him out to the street. It got a bit hazy as there was a car waiting for them and then they were back in his apartment but he had no memory of how they got there. 

Root came in to look at him, helping to sit up and drink a glass of water. “Are you okay?”

“She said me,” he said quietly. “That was never you on the phone, was it?”

Root smiled. “She says that your directive of not protecting you was lost in the transfer. She worries about you, Harold, like all children worry after their parents when they get older. I’ll see you in the morning. John’s on the couch. Get some rest.”

“Thank you,” he said, trying to get comfortable. It was only when Bear came in and took his place on the bed that he felt relaxed enough to sleep.

****

Root pulled up where Shaw was waiting for her, stopping to let her alpha get in. “How bad?”

“He was hitting center mass,” Shaw said. “If Harold doesn’t go into heat soon, John’s going to go into rut. And he’ll hate himself after, even with Harold forgiving him for broken bones.”

“I know,” she said and started to drive. “Hungry?”

“Always.” Shaw grinned as Root started to head to their favorite late night spot. The worry about Reese and Finch could wait, at least for a bit more.


End file.
